Southern Water is progressing its work on SuDS in Schools, a joint initiative with Department of Education, with the installation of a swale for sustainable drainage to help manage more than 300,000 litres of rainwater at a Hampshire school.

A £200,000 swale has been installed at Kimpton, Thruxton and Fyfield Church of England Primary School, in Kimpton near Andover to help prevent storm overflows and school closures due to flooding.

The nature-based solution to manage surface water is part of the joint initiative which was launched in 2022, which to date has seen sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) installed at nearly 100 schools. This latest install has managed over 300,000 litres of rainwater, preventing it from overwhelming the sewer system and contributing to storm overflows or pooling to cause floods.

Swales are low lying or dipped stretches of land used to absorb and manage excess water. As they are lower than the surrounding ground, water collects within them and is naturally absorbed. Water can also be redirected away from problem areas toward a swale.

As well as managing excess water to prevent flooding and keeping it away from the sewers to prevent storm overflows, swales also encourage pollinators and boost local biodiversity.

This year more than 50 schools across the water company’s region in Hampshire, Kent, Sussex and the Isle of Wight will benefit from various interventions to reduce on-site flooding and storm overflows.

The project is part of the work of Southern Water’s Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force are undertaking to reduce storm overflows.

The company’s plans include a record investment of £1.5 billion between 2025 and 2035, focusing on delivering long-term solutions that get to the root cause of storm overflows.